THE paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have again attacked el-Fasher city in the western Darfur region of Sudan, killing more than 30 people, an activist group has said. The attack by the RSF and allied militias is the latest deadly offensive on the area, the last stronghold of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the war-torn region. The Resistance Committees in el-Fasher said dozens of other people were wounded in the Sunday attack, which involved “heavy artillery shelling”. The RSF renewed the assault on Monday, shelling residential buildings and open markets, according to the activist group, which tracks the war.…
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A TOP official in one of South Africa’s biggest political parties has been condemned for visiting a self-proclaimed pastor who fled to Malawi after he was accused of rape and fraud. Floyd Shivambu, secretary-general of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party of former President Jacob Zuma, retweeted footage on X of him attending an Easter service at Shepherd Bushiri’s church. Mr Bushiri, from Malawi, was one of southern Africa’s best known preachers when he was arrested and charged with fraud in 2020. After being released on bail, he managed to flee to his home country in unclear circumstances. South Africa has…
THE death of Pope Francis on Monday sets in motion centuries-old traditions which will culminate in the election by cardinals of a new pontiff — but with a few changes. Here is how the process unfolds: Sede Vacante The Catholic Church enters a period known as “Sede Vacante” (Vacant See) during which a senior cardinal takes over day-to-day affairs until a new pope is elected. The cardinal, referred to as the “camerlengo” (“chamberlain”), in this case will be Irish-American Kevin Farrell, appointed to the role by Francis in February 2019. He is the only top official in the Church hierarchy…
CATHOLIC Pontiff, Pope Francis, has died aged 88.He died on Monday at 7:35 am, a day after making a much-hoped-for appearance at Saint Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, the Vatican said in a statement. “Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in the statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel.” “This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.” His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and…
BUKAYO Saka’s ankle injury is “nothing serious” after he was forced off during Arsenal’s 4-0 Premier League win at Ipswich on Sunday, manager Mikel Arteta said. The winger was injured by a high challenge on the back of his ankle in the 32nd minute by Leif Davis, who was sent off. England international Saka was substituted early in the second half and was pictured with strapping on his ankle. Arteta said the winger was “sore” – but added that the decision to take him off was just a precaution, with Arsenal facing the first leg of their Champions League semi-final…
PALESTINIAN Christians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem have marked a second sombre Easter under punishing conditions and Israel’s war on Gaza. In the Gaza Strip, where no food or aid has been allowed in by the Israeli military for nearly 50 days, people observed Easter on Sunday at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza City amid death and destruction. Easter celebrations were limited to religious rituals as families cancelled other gatherings fearing more bombs would be dropped by Israeli warplanes, which killed dozens of people in the besieged enclave on Sunday. Israeli forces bombed…
IRAN and the United States held “constructive” discussions over the Iranian nuclear programme. The second round of Oman-mediated talks in Rome took place on Saturday, a week after the first session in Muscat, the Omani capital. “Technical discussions” are now expected to begin on Wednesday in Oman, after which more high-level meetings will be held to move closer to an agreement. So, what are these technical discussions? And is an agreement likely? Here’s what you need to know: On Wednesday, working-level experts from both sides will begin discussing the inner workings of sanctions relief and how that relates to Iran’s…
THE Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has suspended the political party of former President Joseph Kabila and ordered the seizure of his assets, accusing the 53-year-old of high treason over alleged ties to the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group. In a statement late on Saturday, the country’s Interior Ministry said Kabila’s People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) was suspended for its “ambiguous attitude” towards the M23’s occupation of DRC territory. The M23 rebellion has reignited violence in DRC’s mineral-rich eastern provinces, where conflict rooted in the spillover from Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of minerals has…
A 14-YEAR-OLD girl has been killed by a lion on the outskirts of Nairobi, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said. The child was snatched from a residential compound on a ranch next to Nairobi National Park, according to the conservation agency. The alarm was raised by another teenager and KWS rangers followed tracks to the nearby Mbagathi River, where they found the primary school girl’s remains. The lion has not been found but KWS said it had set a trap and deployed search teams to look for the animal. The agency added that additional security measures had been taken to…
PARIS Saint-Germain stayed on course to complete the Ligue 1 season without losing a game as the Champions League semi-finalists beat struggling Le Havre 2-1 on Saturday. Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos scored the goals for PSG either side of half-time at the Parc des Princes, as coach Luis Enrique changed almost his entire starting line-up following the midweek European clash with Aston Villa. PSG had already secured a fourth successive Ligue 1 title before this game, and their 10th consecutive league win leaves them on 77 points with five matches remaining. No side has ever completed an entire French…
ISRAELI attacks have killed 92 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip over the past two days, according to the territory’s Ministry of Health. The attacks, which took place on April 17-19, have also left at least 219 people wounded and hospitalised, the ministry said in a statement on Saturday, with dozens more still trapped under the rubble or in areas that rescuers are unable to reach. The surge in bloodshed comes as Israel presses a six-week aid blockade and demands that Hamas disarm before any truce can be agreed. The armed group has flatly refused the demand and insists a permanent…
THE United States and Iran on Saturday resumed high-stakes talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, a week after an initial round of discussions that both sides described as “constructive”. The Oman-mediated talks in Rome began at around 0930 GMT, according to a US official and Iranian state television. Images broadcast by Iranian state television showed Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in the Italian capital, with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff also set to participate in the talks. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the “two delegations are in two different rooms” at the Omani ambassador’s residence, with Oman’s Foreign…
A COURT in Tunisia has sentenced a group of senior politicians, businessmen and lawyers to long prison sentences on conspiracy and terrorism charges. The defendants received sentences of up to 66 years. They include leaders of National Salvation Front, the main opposition coalition, who were arrested in 2023. Human rights groups described the trial as an attempt to stifle dissent. A defence lawyer said it was a “farce”. President Kais Saied suspended parliament after being elected in 2019. Last year he won a second term by a landslide, after jailing dissidents and potential rivals. In the latest case, a total…
BANKS and gas stations that had gone on strike in Mali called off their action on Friday after reaching an agreement with the junta, the union and the government said. The National Union of Banks, Insurance Companies, Financial Institutions, Retailers, and Gas Stations (Synabef) had stopped work on Thursday to demand the release of three union members arrested a month ago and to advocate for better working conditions. The Sahel country has been under military rule since quickfire coups in 2020 and 2021 and has been mired in a serious security crisis since 2012. A joint statement from Synabef and…
JURGEN Klopp is “very happy” in his current post at Red Bull despite rumours linking him to a return to management with Real Madrid, his agent said Friday. The former Liverpool manager became Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer in January, taking care of a stable of clubs including RB Leipzig, the New York Red Bulls and Bragantino in Brazil. Real Madrid’s quarter-final elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Arsenal this week has led to speculation that manager Carlo Ancelotti is headed for the exit at the end of the season. German media reported that Klopp was…
AIR strikes by the United States on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port have killed over 80 people in what is one of the deadliest attacks on the country by US forces, according to the Houthi rebels who are in control of the territory. The Hodeidah Health Office upped the death toll late on Friday, saying 150 people were also wounded in the strikes that were carried out on Thursday, according to Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah channel. Rescue workers and paramedics were among the casualties, officials said. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the air strikes were intended to cut off the Houthis’…
KYIV said Friday that it had received the bodies of hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers killed during battles with Russia, the second such repatriation in three weeks. The exchange of prisoners of war and war dead has been one of the few areas of cooperation between the two sides since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. “As a result of repatriation activities, the bodies of 909 fallen Ukrainian defenders were returned to Ukraine,” the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, a Ukrainian government agency, said on social media. Russia does not typically announce the return of its bodies or…
NIGER beefed up its troops presence on the border with neighbouring Burkina Faso to counter a perceived “terror threat” liable to force local people from their homes, an security source told AFP on Thursday. Ruled by a military junta since July 2023, Niger is battling heightened insecurity amid repeated attacks by armed groups, several affiliated to Al-Qaeda or Islamic State. “The area of Torodi (in the southwest) has experienced several security incidents in recent days,” stated the latest army operations bulletin on its website. On April 14, a military detachment came under fire “from criminal armed groups” on a road…
FORMER Credit Suisse boss, Tidjane Thiam is to run for president in Ivory Coast’s forthcoming election, his party has confirmed. Thiam, 62, was the only candidate vying to represent the country’s main opposition party, the PDCI. Thiam has spent the last two decades living abroad, and had to give up his French citizenship to be able to stand in the presidential election. The former minister has held senior positions in leading international businesses like Aviva, Prudential and Credit Suisse, though he resigned from the latter following a spying scandal. Political scientist Geoffroy Kouao told the AFP news agency that Thiam…
TWO persons, one of them identified as simply as Rabilu, were feared killed and another abducted by suspected bandits who attacked Faruruwa village market in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State. According to a source from Faruruwa village, the attack occurred Thursday evening when people were closing shops for the day after market. He revealed that the attack was targeted at a local businessman in the area whose wife was once abducted by the bandits and later released after ransom payment. The source noted that the gunmen went directly to the man’s stall but did not meet him and…